Scottish Executive

Civil Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many civil service posts have been relocated outwith Edinburgh since May 1999 and to where they have been relocated.

Angus MacKay: The relocation of Civil Service posts in Scotland outwith the responsibility of the Scottish Executive is a matter for the Government Departments concerned.

  With regard to action taken on Civil Service and other public sector jobs covered by the Executive’s relocation policy, the Scottish Executive Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department is now wholly located in Glasgow with some 160 staff having been transferred from Edinburgh to Glasgow over the last two years. The Food Standards Agency Scotland, with around 60 staff, has been set up in Aberdeen and the Public Guardian’s Office, with around 50 staff, has been established in Falkirk.

  In March 2001, the Executive announced that the headquarters offices for the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council will be located in Dundee with 160 posts.

  On 17 July I announced in answer to S1W–17045 that the Scottish Public Pensions Agency, with around 175 posts, will transfer to the Galashiels area when the lease on its current Edinburgh premises expires in November 2002.

Economic Development

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be invested in each financial year from 2001-02 to 2003-04 to attract biotechnology companies from outwith Scotland and to stimulate growth of Scottish biotechnology companies.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Investment in biotechnology companies in Scotland over the period 2001 to 2004—whether by the Scottish Executive, Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Scottish Enterprise, (including Locate in Scotland)—will depend on budgetary decisions yet to be taken. Biotechnology companies are also eligible to apply for a wide range of non-sector specific funding sources.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many educational psychologists are currently employed by each local authority.

Nicol Stephen: The most up to date information held by the Executive relates to August 2000. This is provided in the following table:

  Source: Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP) Staffing Survey 31 August 2000

  


Authority 
  

Staffing Complement 
  

Additional Temporary Posts* 
  



Shetland Isles 
  

1 
  

0 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

7 
  

0 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

6 
  

0 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

17.9 
  

0 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

7.5 
  

0.5 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

5.6 
  

0 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

11.8 
  

0.1 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

11 
  

0 
  



Fife 
  

22.5 
  

0 
  



Highlands 
  

13.8 
  

0.2 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

15.5 
  

0 
  



Stirling 
  

5.5 
  

0 
  



East Lothian 
  

5.95 
  

0 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

23 
  

2 
  



Angus 
  

7.4 
  

0 
  



Dundee 
  

9.6 
  

1.2 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

5.8 
  

0 
  



Edinburgh 
  

27.75 
  

0.2 
  



Inverclyde 
  

6 
  

0 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

8 
  

0 
  



Falkirk 
  

10.5 
  

0 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

8 
  

0 
  



Midlothian 
  

6.4 
  

0.5 
  



West Lothian 
  

13 
  

0.6 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

7.7 
  

0.7 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

11.3 
  

0 
  



Moray 
  

7.3 
  

0.4 
  



Glasgow 
  

52 
  

0 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

8.3 
  

0 
  



Orkney 
  

2 
  

0 
  



Western Isles 
  

3 
  

0 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

5.8 
  

1.2 
  



Total 
  

353.9 
  

24.8 
  



  *Short contracts for specific initiatives e.g. Early Intervention Programme.

Environment

Mr Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7913 by Sarah Boyack on 14 June 2000, what progress has been made in identifying the candidate Special Areas of Conservation to be proposed to the European Commission.

Rhona Brankin: The Nature of Scotland , published by the Scottish Executive in March this year, affirms the Executive’s belief that Scotland’s nature is at the heart of our common wealth as a nation.

  As part of our commitment to Scotland’s nature, the Executive is committed to working with people to achieve effective protection for our most special places for nature. The identification of areas as candidate Special Areas of Conservation under the EC Habitats Directive is a guarantee that these places will remain special.

  Sarah Boyack’s answer identified a series of sites which would be the subject of consultation before ministers decided whether they should be transmitted to the European Commission as new candidate Special Areas of Conservation. After considering the representations made by consultees, the Scottish ministers have decided that the following sites should be selected as candidate Special Areas of Conservation:

  


Site Name 
  

Local Authority Area 
  



Abhainn Clais An Eas and allt a’Mhuilinn 
  

Highland 
  



Achnahaird 
  

Highland 
  



Altnaharra 
  

Highland 
  



Ardnamurchan Burns 
  

Highland 
  



Ardvar and Loch a’Mhuilinn Woodlands 
  

Highland 
  



Ascrib, Isay and Dunvegan 
  

Highland 
  



Berriedale and Langwell Waters 
  

Highland 
  



Borders Woods 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



Broubster Leans 
  

Highland 
  



Buchan Ness to Collieston 
  

Aberdeenshire 
  



Cape Wrath 
  

Highland 
  



Carsegowan Moss 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



Cawdor Wood 
  

Highland 
  



Coille Mhór 
  

Highland 
  



Coyles of Muick 
  

Aberdeenshire 
  



Craighall Gorge 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Crieff Woods 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Dam Wood 
  

Highland 
  



Dinnet Oakwood 
  

Aberdeenshire 
  



Dogden Moss (Greenlaw Moor) 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



Dun Moss and Forest of Alyth Mires 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



East Caithness Cliffs 
  

Highland 
  



Fair Isle 
  

Shetland Islands 
  



Galloway Oakwoods 
  

Dumfries and Galloway 
  



Glen Beasdale 
  

Highland 
  



Glen Creran Woods 
  

Argyll &Bute 
  



Glenartney Juniper Wood 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Green Hill of Strathdon 
  

Aberdeenshire 
  



Grimersta 
  

Na h-Eileanan an Iar 
  



Inverpolly 
  

Highland 
  



Isle of May 
  

Fife 
  



Keltneyburn 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Kinloch and Kyleakin Hills 
  

Highland 
  



Kippenrait Glen 
  

Stirling 
  



Ladder Hills 
  

Moray; Aberdeenshire 
  



Ledmore Wood 
  

Highland 
  



Eileanan agus Sgeirean Lios mor (Lismore) 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Little Gruinard River 
  

Highland 
  



Loch a’Phuill 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Loch Achnacloich 
  

Highland 
  



Loch Creran 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Loch Fada 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Loch Laxford 
  

Highland 
  



Loch Moidart and Loch Shiel Woods 
  

Highland 
  



Loch of Isbister 
  

Orkney Islands 
  



Loch of Wester 
  

Highland 
  



Loch Ruthven 
  

Highland 
  



Loch Ussie 
  

Highland 
  



Lower Findhorn Woods 
  

Moray 
  



Methven Moss 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Mingarry Burn 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Moffat Hills 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



Monadhliath 
  

Highland 
  



Moorfoot Hills 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



Mortlach Moss 
  

Aberdeenshire 
  



Morvern Woods 
  

Highland 
  



Mull Oakwoods 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Mull of Galloway 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



Ness Woods 
  

Highland 
  



North Fetlar 
  

Shetland Islands 
  



Pitkeathly Mires 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Pitmedden Forest 
  

Fife; Perth & Kinross 
  



Rassal 
  

Highland 
  



Rigg – Bile 
  

Highland 
  



Rinns of Islay 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



River Bladnoch 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



River Evelix 
  

Highland 
  



River Moriston 
  

Highland 
  



River Naver and Mallart River 
  

Highland 
  



River Oykel 
  

Highland 
  



River South Esk 
  

Angus 
  



River Teith 
  

Stirling 
  



River Thurso 
  

Highland 
  



Shelforkie 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Shingle Islands 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



South East Islay Skerries 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



St Abb’s Head to Fast Castle 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



Tarbert Woods 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Tayvallich Juniper and Coast 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Threepwood Moss 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



Treshnish Isles 
  

Argyll & Bute 
  



Trossachs Woods 
  

Stirling 
  



Tynron Juniper Wood 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



Upper Nithsdale Woods 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



Urquhart Bay Wood 
  

Highland 
  



  The Scottish ministers have not yet made a decision about whether the following sites should be selected as candidate Special Areas of Conservation, either because consultation is not yet complete or because ministers are still considering issues raised by consultees:

  


Site Name 
  

Local Authority Area 
  



Airds Moss 
  

East Ayrshire 
  



Burrow Head 
  

Dumfries & Galloway 
  



River Dee 
  

Aberdeenshire 
  



River Tweed 
  

Scottish Borders 
  



Sound of Barra 
  

Na h-Eilleanan an Iar 
  



Sullom Voe 
  

Shetland 
  



  In the light of further scientific advice received since June 2000, the Scottish ministers have decided to consult on the case for identification of the following areas as candidate Special Areas of Conservation:

  


Site Name 
  

Local Authority Area 
  



River Tay 
  

Perth & Kinross 
  



Firth of Tay 
  

Fife, Dundee, Angus, Perth & Kinross 
  



  The Scottish ministers have also decided, in the light of the scientific case presented by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (which was brought to the Parliament’s attention in Petition 301), to consult on the case for the identification of further raised bog sites as candidate Special Areas of Conservation. We are awaiting scientific advice about which particular sites should be the subject of consultation.

First Minister

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-16519 by Henry McLeish on 6 July 2001, what the political duties of the First Minister’s parliamentary private secretary are.

Henry McLeish: My parliamentary private secretary supports me across a broad range of Parliamentary and political activities.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to carry out an audit of the stimulants which are currently being prescribed in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Susan Deacon: The Executive has no plans to carry out such an audit.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund a research project looking at the long term effects of different methods of treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Susan Deacon: Within the Scottish Executive Health Department, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland and, as such, is the main departmental funder of NHS-related research.

  CSO currently funds research projects lasting up to three years up to a maximum of £150,000.

  CSO would be pleased to consider funding research proposals into the long term effects of different methods of treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder subject to these limits. Such proposals would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many paediatricians with specialist interest or training in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are currently working in Scotland broken down by (a) health board area and (b) local education authority area.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is not available centrally. Staff data is classified by main specialty only and does not identify sub-categories of specialty or special interest.

Housing

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a written assurance has been given to the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations that alternative mechanisms to tax relief grant paid to housing associations under section 54 of the Housing Act 1988 will be identified to protect the viability of Registered Social Landlords and ensure that housing quality is not compromised when section 54 is repealed.

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Executive has agreed to set up a joint Executive/SFHA working group to look at the detailed impact of the withdrawal of Section 54 (tax relief grant) on housing associations. If it proves to be the case that withdrawal of tax relief will cause particular difficulties for some associations in making adequate reserves for future repairs, or will affect their viability, ministers have given an undertaking to consider how best to support such associations.

Population

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children of school age are currently resident in Scotland broken down by (a) health board area and (b) local education authority area.

Iain Gray: The following tables give the Registrar General’s 2000 Mid-Year Estimates of Population for school age children for health board and council area.

  Estimated population of school age children (5-16) by council area: 30 June 2000

  


Scotland 
  

774,304 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

29,570 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

37,143 
  



Angus 
  

16,830 
  



Argyll & Bute 
  

12,517 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

7,865 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

21,964 
  



Dundee City 
  

20,951 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

19,040 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

16,095 
  



East Lothian 
  

13,810 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

13,888 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

58,542 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

4,287 
  



Falkirk 
  

21,728 
  



Fife 
  

54,484 
  



Glasgow City 
  

89,472 
  



Highland 
  

33,126 
  



Inverclyde 
  

13,437 
  



Midlothian 
  

12,486 
  



Moray 
  

13,693 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

22,320 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

51,662 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

3,182 
  



Perth & Kinross 
  

20,127 
  



Renfrewshire. 
  

27,688 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

15,587 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

3,963 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

16,840 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

48,556 
  



Stirling 
  

12,533 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

15,665 
  



West Lothian 
  

25,253 
  



  Estimated population of school age children (5-16) by health board area: 30 June 2000

  


Scotland 
  

774,304 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

65,822 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

58,200 
  



Borders 
  

15,587 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

21,964 
  



Fife 
  

54,484 
  



Forth Valley 
  

42,126 
  



Grampian 
  

80,406 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

134,388 
  



Highland 
  

33,126 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

88,770 
  



Lothian 
  

110,091 
  



Orkney 
  

3,182 
  



Shetland 
  

3,963 
  



Tayside 
  

57,908 
  



Western Isles 
  

4,287

Prison Service

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what haircutting, chiropody, dentistry and other services have been provided to Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi by the Scottish Prison Service using personnel from Scotland.

Iain Gray: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  While I can confirm that a hairdresser from Cornton Vale was recently sent to HM Prison, Zeist, for reasons of medical confidentiality, no details can be disclosed about any visits by health care professionals.

Road Accidents

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has been among school-age victims of road traffic accidents since 1 January 1999.

Sarah Boyack: The information requested is not held centrally.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on IT projects which (a) were terminated or (b) exceeded budgetary provision in each financial year from 1997-98 to date.

Angus MacKay: IT projects implemented by the Scottish Executive over this period have ranged from very small local developments to major investments in IT infrastructure. All significant projects (defined as those costing over £100,000 including VAT) were submitted to the Scottish Executive Information Systems Steering Group (SEISSG) for approval and allocation of funding. Requests for budget uprates, which may arise in response to legislative changes or changes to user requirements, are also submitted to SEISSG. During the period in question, no IT projects exceeded their budgetary provision. In 2000-01 one project costing £200,000 including VAT was completed but not subsequently implemented because of a change in user requirements.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated average annual cost will be of an individual school intervention programme for children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as recommended in the SIGN 52 guideline assuming (a) 2% prevalence of ADHD and (b) 5% prevalence of ADHD.

Nicol Stephen: It is not possible to estimate the cost of implementation as the terms of the recommendation are general and do not provide specific guidance on the structure and content of programmes to meet individual needs.

Special Educational Needs

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have received in-service training on the special needs of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not held centrally.